Helmets! Helmets! Helmets!

Motorcycles and bicycles are the highlights of the summer and a great and fun way to travel. Bicycles are a great way to get from one place to another while exercising and reducing air pollution. Motorcycles are an alternative way to travel that makes the open road an exciting place to be. However both these activities can carry a great risk to your health if they are conducted in an unsafe manner. It is important to remember your helmet no matter what. Wearing a helmet can mean the difference between walking away from an accident with few or no injuries or a debilitating injury or death. According to the CDC wearing a helmet can reduce the likelihood of brain injuries by 88% and face injuries by 65%. Wearing a helmet can seem tedious and getting your kids and teens to wear them can seem like an even more daunting task. Here are some ways that you can ensure your safety and theirs.

Make helmets a habit. A bicycle and helmet go hand in hand, teach your kids that there cannot be any other way to ride a bike. It will become a habit that will stick with them throughout their lives. Even if you didn’t start them early it’s never too late to start and make helmets a habit.

Go helmet shopping together. Let them pick their own helmets while you pick yours. It’ll be a family activity full of fun. Also if they choose their own helmets they will be more likely to wear it and not feel like it is forced on them.

Be an example and role model. Wear your helmet no matter what, bicycle or motorcycle. Show your children that helmets are something that everyone must wear, even adults.

Encourage others to wear a helmet. If you see unsafe behavior and helmetless bike riding among other peers or your children’s friends, point it out and lead by example.

Have a conversation about bicycle and motorcycle safety. This is important if you want peers and children to understand why helmets are so important. Point out the very real risks associated with not wearing a helmet and the examples of real life consequences of not wearing a helmet.

For more information check out A Basic Guide to Injured Bicyclists: Cycling Your Way to Recovery and Compensation. A link to getting this free offer is on the right side of this page under the Offers banner.